Fish tales

Kyle McDougall, 12, got much more than he bargained for during a recent fishing trip to Thurmond Lake with his neighbor, Claude Melton. After a 25-minute battle with this stubborn flathead, the Jackson, S.C., youngster told his neighbor he'd had enough. Melton's reply: "Son, you started it - you're finishing it." Kyle eventually boated the big catfish, which was 4 feet long and weighed 44 pounds.

Cheryl Mattox of Augusta was fishing with her husband, Jerry Mattox, when this 20-pound, 7-ounce striper took her bait during a trip to Thurmond. The couple caught other stripers weighing 10, 12 and 13 pounds, with the day's catch totaling 19 fish, most of which were released.